The present invention relates to shielded containers for the transportation of radioactive sources and, more particularly, to the combination of a radiopharmaceutical pig with a sharps container capable of holding a syringe containing a radioactive drug.
In the medical industry, radioactive drugs are used for various applications, including the internal imaging of various human organs for diagnosis purposes. Over the years, the medical industry has developed many different radioactive drugs that are designed to concentrate around these human organs.
Generally, radioactive drugs are in a liquid form that is suitable for injection into a patient. Because of the radioactive characteristics of these drugs, they must be handled according to regulations promulgated by various departments of the United States government, including the Department of Transportation (DOT), the Nuclear Regulation Commission (NRC), and the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSRA). Accordingly, hospitals that make their own radioactive drugs must invest in the equipment and the training necessary to meet the requirements of such regulations.
Typically, a patient requires only a small dose of a specific radioactive drug. Therefore, depending on the number of patients, it is generally not economical for one hospital to maintain the staff and equipment to make the radioactive drugs required by that hospital""s patients. Furthermore, the radioactive agents in the drugs have various half lives and lose their effectiveness after a predetermined time. Thus, if a hospital does not have the required demand, some of its unused radioactive agents may decay and become unusable. To avoid the expense of such in-house production of radioactive drugs, many hospitals now purchase each prescribed dose of a radioactive drug from an outside pharmacy.
The pharmacies which provide radioactive drugs to hospitals utilize the principles of mass production to reduce their per-unit costs. The pharmacies receive prescription orders and deliver the corresponding radioactive drugs to nearby hospitals. Each prescription is individually filled, and each dose of radioactive drug is packaged in a syringe intended for a specific patient. The syringes containing the radioactive drugs must be carefully handled and delivered inside containers offering some degree of radiation shielding. Furthermore, government regulations require syringes to be disposed of in a container that shields others from the risk of injury posed by their sharp hypodermic needles. Such a container, generally referred to as a xe2x80x9csharpsxe2x80x9d container, typically has an inner cavity or chamber that can hold syringes. One type of sharps container has a chamber sealed by a spring biased pivoting gate to keep syringes safely inside.
One type of delivery container currently used for the delivery of syringes containing radioactive drugs is known as a radiopharmaceutical pig. The radiopharmaceutical pig typically is a two-part assembly and has an inner chamber suitable for carrying a syringe. The chamber is lined with a radiation shielding material, typically elemental lead. The exterior of the radiopharmaceutical pig is generally a plastic polystyrene shell. The polystyrene shell on one part of the radiopharmaceutical pig has elongated ridges projecting radially from the periphery of its external surface. If the assembled radiopharmaceutical pig is laid on its side, these ridges prevent it from accidentally rolling in an uncontrolled manner.
The identity of the radioactive drug within the syringe must be identified for proper use and disposal. To facilitate efficient disposal, syringes containing residuals of radioactive drugs with similar half lives are placed in the same disposal containers. To identify the radioactive drug within the syringe, labels typically are placed on the outside of the radiopharmaceutical pig and on the syringe within.
A common method for delivering the radioactive syringe is well known and includes the placement of the syringe with the required dose of a radioactive drug into the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig. The radiopharmaceutical pig is then delivered to the hospital where it is disassembled and the syringe is, used according to other, well known, safety standards.
After the dose is injected into the patient, the syringe is referred to as xe2x80x9cspent,xe2x80x9d but generally contains a small amount of residual radioactive drug. In addition to the radioactive contamination, the hypodermic needle of the spent syringe is biologically contaminated from contact with the patient. In view of the threat from such contamination, the pharmacy may also offer services for the disposal of the spent syringe. Accordingly, the spent syringe can be sent back to the pharmacy for proper disposal.
If the pharmacy offers disposal services, the spent syringe may be placed back into the radiopharmaceutical pig for a return trip to the pharmacy. Once the radiopharmaceutical pig arrives at the pharmacy, an employee manually removes the syringe from the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig by manually opening the radiopharmaceutical pig and dumping the exposed, contaminated syringe into a suitable disposal container.
While the previously discussed apparatus and method for delivering and disposing of syringes containing radioactive drugs is generally effective, under certain conditions there may be drawbacks associated with the devices and methods designed according to the prior art. One such drawback is the additional expense arising from contamination of the radiopharmaceutical pig. During the return trip to the pharmacy, the residual radioactive drug and biological contaminants in the syringe may leak and contaminate the inside chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig. If such contamination occurs, government regulations require that the radiopharmaceutical pig must be emptied by non-manual means (i.e., by robotic arms or their equivalent), and then disinfected with the appropriate chemicals. Such a process is expensive and, therefore, undesirable.
Another drawback is the danger of biological contamination posed by the sharp hypodermic needle of the spent syringe. As discussed above, methods and apparatus of the prior art allow the contaminated needle to become exposed during the pharmacy""s disposal operations. However, under current U.S. government regulations, a spent syringe needs to be disposed within a sharps container. Generally, if a spent syringe is not within such a protective sharps container, further handling of the syringe raises safety and regulatory concerns. Such safety concerns necessitate additional safety procedures and handling equipment that can be undesirably expensive. For example, a hospital may dispose of the syringe in sharps containers or the hospital premises. However, such a disposal system necessitates the expense of monitoring and tracking the syringes because of their radioactivity.
Yet another drawback is the lack of roll-resistance of the disassembled radiopharmaceutical pigs designed according to the prior art. As described previously, only one part of the radiopharmaceutical pig has roll-resistant ridges. Accordingly, the radiopharmaceutical pig is roll-resistant only when its two parts are secured together. Because the remaining part itself has no ridges, when the radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, the part without ridges may move in an uncontrolled manner causing accidental contamination or injury.
Still another drawback is associated with the durability of the polystyrene shell on the exterior of the radiopharmaceutical pig. The polystyrene shell is relatively brittle and may break or chip upon impact with other objects. If the polystyrene shell breaks, the inner liner of elemental lead can become dislodged, which may lead to the escape of dangerous radiation from the chamber of the radiopharmaceutical pig. Furthermore, if the two parts of the radiopharmaceutical pig are secured together by a threaded portion on the polystyrene shell, cracking of the shell may necessitate replacement of the entire radiopharmaceutical pig.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for transporting a syringe containing radioactive material that safely encloses the spent syringe and reduces the possibility of contamination of the radiopharmaceutical pig. Still another need exists for a radiopharmaceutical pig that has a durable shell and is roll-resistant when in an unassembled condition.
The present invention resides in an improved method and apparatus for transporting a syringe containing radioactive material that provides for the safe enclosure of the spent syringe and reduces the possibility of contamination of the radiopharmaceutical pig. The present invention also provides a radiopharmaceutical pig that has a durable shell and is roll-resistant when in an unassembled condition.
The present invention includes a method for transporting a syringe containing radioactive material to a location for use and, thereafter, to a disposal area. The method begins with the insertion of a housing into a lower portion of a radiopharmaceutical pig. The syringe is then inserted into the housing. Next, the radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled by securing an upper portion to the lower portion so that the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the syringe and the housing in an inner chamber. After the radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled, it is transported to the location for use. At the location, the radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled by removing the upper portion from the lower portion. When the radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled, the inner chamber is accessible for removal of the syringe from the housing.
After the syringe is removed from the housing, to allow for the discharge of at least some of the radioactive material from the syringe, the syringe is then replaced in the housing, which preferably has remained in the lower portion of the pig. A cap is attached to the housing to form a sharps container that contains the syringe therein. After the cap is attached to the housing, the radiopharmaceutical pig is reassembled by securing its upper portion to its lower portion. When the radiopharmaceutical pig is reassembled, the cap and the housing contain the syringe.
The radiopharmaceutical pig is then transported from the location of use to the disposal area. At the disposal area, the radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled by removing the upper portion from the lower portion to expose the cap and the housing containing the syringe. The cap and the housing, containing the syringe, are then removed from the radiopharmaceutical pig and disposed of. Because the syringe is contained within the housing and the cap, it is not exposed to persons at the disposal area. Accordingly, such persons are advantageously protected from a sharp, contaminated needle on the syringe. Furthermore, because the cap and the housing contain the contaminated syringe, the radiopharmaceutical pig is less likely to become contaminated. The avoidance of such contamination provides a cost savings because an expensive decontamination procedure is avoided.
In a more detailed feature of the invention, a label is affixed to the syringe before the syringe is placed in the housing. The label contains information regarding the radioactive material within the syringe.
In another more detailed feature of the invention, the disposal of the cap and housing containing the syringe includes the reading of the information on the syringe label while the syringe is inside the cap and housing. The information is used to determine a particular disposal container for the syringe. The cap and housing, containing the syringe, are then placed into that particular disposal container.
While in the disposal area, the particular disposal container can be determined without separating the cap from the housing. Thus, the employees are advantageously protected from the sharp, contaminated needle on the syringe.
In another more detailed feature of the invention, the uncontrolled rolling of the radiopharmaceutical pig is prevented by roll-resistant ridges on both the upper and the lower portions of the radiopharmaceutical pig. The ridges extend radially from the external circumference of the upper portion and from the external circumference of the lower portion. Because the lower portion also has roll-resistant ridges, that portion of the radiopharmaceutical pig is less likely to roll uncontrollably, thereby reducing the likelihood of injury or damage from an accident.
In a separate and independent feature of the invention, another method which covers the steps which may be completed by an outside pharmacy. Generally, an outside pharmacy will not use the syringe or handle the radiopharmaceutical pig while it is at the location of use.
Accordingly, the method covers the same general steps as discussed above but does not include those steps which the pharmacy will not regularly provide, such as: the disassembly of the radiopharmaceutical pig; the removal and use of the syringe; the replacement of the syringe into the housing; the attachment of a cap onto the housing, thereby containing the syringe therein; and the reassembly of the radiopharmaceutical pig.
In a separate and independent feature of the invention, a method provides for steps which may be completed by the healthcare staff. The method utilizes a radiopharmaceutical pig and a container having a housing and a cap. The container is configured to fit within a chamber in the radiopharmaceutical pig. The method begins with the disassembly of the radiopharmaceutical pig by the removal of an upper portion of the radiopharmaceutical pig from a lower portion of the radiopharmaceutical pig. The syringe is exposed when the radiopharmaceutical pig is disassembled. The exposed syringe is then removed from the housing and discharged. The discharging of the syringe removes at least some of the radioactive material from the syringe. The syringe is then replaced in the housing and a cap is attached to the housing so that the syringe is inside the container. Finally, the radiopharmaceutical pig is assembled by securing the upper portion to the lower portion so that the radiopharmaceutical pig contains the container with the syringe inside.
The present invention also provides for an improved transportation container for a syringe containing radioactive material. The container includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an internal chamber adapted to contain a cap and a housing forming a sharps container. The cap has at least one resilient snap that engages at least one ledge on the housing to safely contain the syringe within the sharps container. This transportation container allows the contaminated syringe to be transported to the disposal area, where it can be handled, thereby saving the hospital the in-house disposal costs associated with known sharps containers.
In a more detailed feature of the invention, the transportation container includes a radiopharmaceutical pig having an outer shell made of relatively stronger ABS plastic. Another more detailed feature of the invention, the housing is transparent, thereby advantageously enabling the user to view a contaminated syringe without risk.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.